One and One Podcast

Brendan McKillop played basketball for his father Bob McKillop at Davidson College from 2007-2011 and was a part of the magical 2008 NCAA Tournament run.  Brendan talks about growing up across the street from Davidson, how he got into basketball,  being a part of the Davidson program basically all of his life, and knowing Steph Curry since they were young. He details his high school career at Charlotte Catholic, the recruiting process, picking Davidson, and the father/son coach/player dynamic. He then describes the amazing NCAA Tournament run his Freshman year where 10 seeded Davidson beat Gonzaga, Georgetown, and Wisconsin, before falling by just 2 points in the Elite Eight against Kansas.  Brendan talks about his brother joining the staff as Assistant Coach his Sophomore year, other career highlights for Davidson, and playing in all 3 post season tournaments throughout his career.  He explains his brief time playing overseas after graduation, his current career with the NBA, and how he continues to keep up with the Davidson program today.

Dewey Burke was a walk on for the University of North Carolina Men's Basketball Team from 2005-2007.  He talks about growing up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, being the oldest of 4 boys, and how he got into both basketball and football.  Dewey details his great career at Conestoga High School, the recruiting process in both football and basketball, and why he chose to pursue football at Fairfield University.  He then talks about getting to Fairfield where the football team was discarded after his first semester, why he chose to pursue basketball after that, and what led him to pick North Carolina.  Dewey describes the JV Team at UNC, being the last cut on the Varsity Team during the 2005 title season, and making the Varsity Team the next 2 seasons.  He talks about his role on the team, his relationship with Head Coach Roy Williams, his continued support of the program, and what he's been up to since he graduated in 2007.

James Spinelli is the Video Coordinator for the Notre Dame's Women's Basketball Team.  Prior to this, he spent 4 seasons as Video Coordinator for the Temple Women's Basketball Team and was a team manager for Temple during his undergrad.  James talks about growing up in Long Hill, New Jersey, how he got into basketball, realizing that he wanted to get into coaching when he was in high school, and why he picked Temple University.  He details how he got involved in the Women's Basketball Team, his duties as a manager, and how he got the job as Video Coordinator after he graduated in 2014.  James describes the role of Video Coordinator and how important it is for a basketball team, his experience at Temple working for Head Coach Tonya Cardoza in the A-10 Conference, and how the job at Notre Dame came to be.  James then talks about working for Head Coach Muffet McGraw in the ACC, the success of the 2019 season, the struggle in the 2020 season, and his excitement for new Head Coach Niele Ivey and the 2021 season.

John Lento played both golf and hockey at Becker College and is now an Assistant Golf Professional and on the South Florida PGA Tour.  He talks about growing up in Paramus, New Jersey, his first love of hockey, playing on a club team where he traveled a lot, and getting into golf a bit later.  John describes his two years at Paramus High School where he had a great hockey and golf career, his decision to transfer to the prep school Cushing Academy in Massachusetts, what it was like going to boarding school, the competitive hockey, and working to make the Varsity A Team.  John discusses his parents' move to a house in Florida on a golf course and his summers spent on the course.  He then details the recruiting process, why he chose Becker College, balancing both hockey and golf, and his decision to leave college early to focus on becoming a professional golfer.  John details his job as Assistant Golf Professional at The Club at The Renaissance, the hard work he puts in to help his golf career, and playing on the South Florida PGA tour.

Josh Hairston played basketball at Duke from 2010-2014 and then played professionally overseas from 2015-2019.  He talks about growing up in Fredericksburg, Virginia, how he got into basketball, the high level of basketball in the DMV, and playing AAU with several future teammates at Duke. Josh describes his first three years of high school at Cortland where he won a state title and was named the Virginia Player of the Year, and his senior year of high school where he transferred to Montrose Christian and won Gatorade Player of the Year in Maryland.  He details his recruiting process, why he picked Duke, and coming in with Tyler Thornton and Kyrie Irving.  Josh then talks about his highlights at Duke, some of the shortcomings, what it was like playing for Coach K, and playing in Cameron Indoor Stadium. He discusses playing professionally overseas after graduating in Switzerland, Sweden, Israel, and Italy, his decision to retire in 2019, his recent marriage, and how he is working to become an agent.

Vanessa Sullivan played volleyball at Southern Connecticut State University from 2009-2012. She talks about growing up in Paramus, New Jersey, getting into volleyball through her older sister, being the youngest girl on her club team for several years, and starting on the varsity team at Paramus High School as a Freshman where the team went on to win the 2005 State Championship and the Tournament of Champions.  Vanessa describes her relationship with Coach MariaElena Bellinger, winning 4 straight league titles, and the recruiting process that led her to pick Southern Connecticut State.  She details the transition to college volleyball, playing right away, her great 4 year career, and her decision to major in Psychology.  She then talks about the struggle after her volleyball career ended as to who she was without the sport, how her coaching and psych background led her to co-write her first book "Was It Something I Said?- A Guide to Coaching Female Athletes", using her degree to help her at work, the process of co-writing her second book "Broken to Blessed", and her desire to write more books in the future.

Jason Abromaitis and Ann Strother Abromaitis are a married couple that both played college basketball.  Jason played at Yale from 2003-2007 and Ann played at the University of Connecticut from 2002-2006 and won 2 National Championships.  They talk about their childhoods, how they got into basketball through their fathers, and their great high school careers that included Jason winning the Gatorade Player of the Year for Connecticut and Ann winning the National Gatorade Player of the Year.  They describe their recruiting process, what led them to pick Yale and UConn, and how they met in college.  Jason talks about playing in the Ivy League Conference, working hard to get more playing time, and starting a campus refrigerator business.  Ann talks about what it was like to play for Geno Auriemma, being able to play right away, not being the favorite in either National Championship, and what it was like to play at the Final Four.  They discuss how they began dating while Ann was playing basketball overseas, the proposal story,  and their life in Colorado with their children.

Kaila Turner played basketball at the University of Notre Dame from 2009-2013 and went to three straight Final Fours.  She talks about growing up in Joliet, Illinois, how she got into basketball, her great high school career at Marian Catholic, and the recruiting process that led her to choose Notre Dame.  She describes what it was like to play for Coach Muffet McGraw, making the Final Four her Sophomore and Junior years where they beat UConn, and her Senior year where she played with an elbow injury that would later require Tommy John Surgery.  She details hitting a huge shot in a triple overtime game on Senior Night, winning the last Big East Tournament Notre Dame was in, and playing big minutes in the Elite Eight to help get Notre Dame to the 2013 Final Four.  Kaila then talks about the family atmosphere around the Notre Dame program, her excitement for new Head Coach Niele Ivey, and what she's been up to since graduation. 

Charles DiGisco is a competitive MMA fighter, an MMA commentator, and co-owner of the gym District Martial Arts in Washington DC.  Charles talks about his first few years in Newburgh, New York, where he was picked on, moving to Randolph, New Jersey, and how he got involved in the sport of boxing.  He then details learning other sports such as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Judo, and how he used those skills in Mixed Martial Arts.  Charles explains why he chose to attend American University, becoming involved in the MMA community in DC, and learning wrestling skills by practicing with the Division I American Wrestling Team.  He describes the increased popularity in MMA & UFC, becoming a competitive MMA fighter, opening his own MMA gym, and how he got involved in commentating, which is a huge passion of his.  Charles also talks about his own Podcast, "The Lover and The Fighter", which is available on iTunes and Spotify.

Conner Mertens played football at Willamette University from 2013-2017 and became the first active college football player to come out as LGBTQ.  He talks about growing up in Kennewick, Washington, being the youngest of 4 boys, playing soccer and football, and what he likes about being a kicker in football.  Conner describes what it was like to know at a young age that he is bisexual and growing up in an area that was not very accepting.  He details his Southridge High School football career where he or his brothers own most of the kicking records, being a part of Young Life, and his recruiting process that led him to pick Division III Willamette University in Oregon.  Conner then talks about his college career, his decision to come out to his family, friends, and football team, and then writing a letter to his hometown which became public. He details the positive reaction the football team and his fraternity had, but getting kicked out of Young Life.  Conner now speaks publicly about LGBTQ themes, lives in New York City, and is much more confident about who he is.